BLACKLION chef Neven Maguire is anticipating “challenging times ahead” for the hospitality industry as many restaurants across the North are battling with the cost of living crisis.
The owner of the MacNean House and Restaurant has been touring across Ireland, chatting to various chefs, as part of his upcoming ‘Neven’s Coastal Food Trails’ TV series.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the hospitality industry has been crippled and the award-winning Blacklion chef is anticipating that another difficult few months are ahead for restaurant owners.
“It’s a tough time for restaurants, with the increase of the VAT rate, the minimum wage and cost of produce. I think it’s challenging, but there’s a lot of excitement out there too,” he told RTE News.
“You must be clever with your business and fine-tune it. We wouldn’t be open without our bedrooms, to be honest. We have 20 rooms, and we have 60 guests a night in the restaurant.
“The standard has to be really high or people won’t come back. There’s challenging times ahead so something will need to be done about it,” Maguire added.
The Blacklion chef, who is preparing to publish another book, has made changes to the running of MacNean House and Restaurant to ensure that it can survive during the current climate.
“I’ve a good instinct but also, I’ve very good people around me, my wife Amelda, Andrea who runs the place and my right hand in the kitchen, Carmel, all amazing women,” said Maguire.
“It’s not about money for me. If it was about that we’d be in Dublin or a bigger place. It’s about a quality of life. I’m 50 now, I’m no spring chicken, so it’s about enjoying life.”
Maguire has recently committed to supporting a Fermanagh charity by auctioning off some of his plates and dishes, which he’s had in his restaurant and home for decades.
“We decided to give them [St Vincent de Paul] the proceeds of the sale as they are a fantastic charity and do such great work in the locality,” he told the Irish Independent.
“I’ve had the people ask me in the past if I would sell the dishes, but I always said no because although they may just be dishes, they mean a lot to me.”
Related posts:
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere